Tenebrosus est Marcus
by Kimmimaru
Summary: When the Dark Mark burns one must do whatever one can to protect ones family. Short Drabble from Lucius Malfoy POV. Rated T for allusions to sexual activity.


_AN: A little drabble type thing of Lucius Malfoy's thoughts at the return of Lord Voldemort in the Goblet of Fire. (The title is just the closest Latin I could find of 'the dark mark'…just because everything sounds fancier in Latin.) FYI: The characterisation in this is based upon Canonical information, where Voldemort himself cannot love, his Death Eaters can. Bellatrix loves Voldemort, Narcissa loves Lucius and they are devoted to their son…it is proved in the Deathly Hallows when Narcissa risks the wrath of Voldemort simply to hear whether her son is alive or not. I wrote this purely to kill time, lol. It is a relationship that fascinates me._

_**Tenebrosus**____**est Marcus**_

'_**The Dark Mark'**_

It began to appear late in the summer of nineteen ninety four, I saw it once whilst taking a bath and since that moment it began get clearer.

"I swear it is growing clearer, Cissy." My wife looks at me with her dark eyes, her face is inscrutable as always.

"Lucius, are you certain?"

"As certain as I have been about anything." I say, pacing up and down before the fireplace. "It can only mean one thing-"

Narcissa stands and takes my hands in her own, it is only then that I realise I am shaking. "There is no proof, Lucius." She says whilst gazing into my eyes, her hands are soft and warm in my own and I cannot help but remember why I fell in love with this woman. "Come, let us get ready, tomorrow we take Draco to the Quidditch World Cup, he has been ever so excited to see it." It is her smile that makes my heart melt, it eases the tight knot of fear that had been developing since I first saw the faded lines on my arm reappear.

I cannot for the life of me remember who first suggested the idea, we were drunk and sitting around our camp fire. Draco was supposed to be asleep but he has a tendency to sit and listen as the adults talk. We managed to get onto the subject of Mudblood's and it went from there, somehow I found myself wearing my old robes, with my old mask hiding my face and levitating muggle's. It all seemed like riotous fun, that was until the mark appeared in the sky…we all felt terror sweep through our hearts at the sight of that skull. I ran, it was better that I not be caught by the ministry.

"What on earth were you _thinking_, Lucius?!" Narcissa shouted after we had returned to the Manor.

"I wasn't! That's the point! I was stupid and reckless, I was drunk! What more do you want from me, woman?!"

"I want you to swear to me you will never endanger yourself or this family again!"

Of course, I had put at risk all that I had worked so hard to build. I had almost destroyed everything, put my son in danger, my wife…no, I would never do such a thing again.

The year passed with little incident, we received numerous letters from Draco, mostly complaints about that worthless little brat, Potter and his friends. We read about the strange disappearance of Bertha Jorkins, I remembered her vaguely from school; A year below me with a memory for gossip that I had used more than once to discredit certain students, she was a most useful source of information. I read about her disappearance with a slight pang of apprehension, I feared what it could mean, I feared what it would begin…

And finally it happened. I felt the mark burn so savagely I cried out, Narcissa lay in bed at my side, her breasts covered in a fine sheen of sweat from our activities. Her eyes gazed upon me in concern as I revealed my left forearm and stared down at the ugly black mark. She sat up, putting her hands on my shoulders, her fingers kneading the muscles gently as she leaned in to whisper in my ear. "You must go, Lucius. If you do not he will come for us…I will not endanger Draco. Go, my love, and do your duty."

Her soft voice heartened me, I stood and dressed rapidly, taking out my mask for the second time that year. Before I left I leaned over her, pressing my lips to hers as she wrapped her arms around me. Her arms tightened briefly, as if she was reluctant to release me, but we had no choice. Finally I pulled away, running my hand once more through her beautiful blond locks before finally turning away and leaving her alone.

The Dark Lord was most lenient, I had worried that I would be punished for abandoning him, but I had no need to fear. Now he was returned and perhaps some of my ideals shall be realised, perhaps my family will be raised higher than any, even the Lestranges. Perhaps I could give Draco a better future in a world ruled by the powerful, as it should be.


End file.
